Preorder Move Slow & Make Things, and enjoy a collection of thoughtful bonus content created just for you!

My House

All Things Home

crazy plant lady

Between traveling last week and our photo shoot this week, Kriste and I weren’t able to get a Design Ramblings filmed for today.  We are getting back in the swing of things next week, though, so you’ll see us next week. A couple of months ago, I decided to buy some myrtle topiaries.  My house was suffering from a bit of “preserved boxwood overload” and some of them, after several years of being on display, were looking a little tired and fuzzy.  I was ready to make an honest effort at caring for live plants. I bought the myrtles from Terrain, which is the only place I was able to find them.  They were definitely an investment and I took that seriously.  I’ve watered, spritzed, turned, trimmed and even given them a pat of encouragement here and there and they have stayed alive and green and happy for two whole months!

Read More
My House

a clean house & a full heart

I don’t know if I have ever cleaned this entire house, all at one time, so thoroughly.  I’ve done a “super clean” of each room, but I usually tackle one or two at a time.  This time, I was doing a “super clean” of almost the entire house.  The basement and Jeff’s office were excluded, which is very obvious if you set foot in either one of those spaces. A “super clean”, in my book, includes dusting, vacuuming, ironing, steam cleaning, soaking, washing, scrubbing, sweeping, wiping and polishing everything in the room.  You wouldn’t think it would take long, especially if you’re generally clean and tidy, but it is time consuming and absolutely amazing the amount of dirt and grim that isn’t reached in an average cleaning.  I went through 1/2 a bottle of multi-purpose cleaner, two rolls of paper towels, five loads of non-clothing laundry, eight rags (used until they

Read More
Before and Afters

corner cabinets in shutter gray

While I was finishing up the slipcovers I shared yesterday, Kriste worked on giving a few pieces in my dining room a fresh coat of paint. (She was standing in front of the sink, mixing paint, and the light was so pretty, so I had to snap a picture.) I wanted to give the corner cabinets and buffet in the dining room a little makeover. The first time I ever used a tinted wax was on these corner cabinets and it got away from me a bit.  Well maybe more than a bit.  The end result looked streaky and I’ve wanted to fix them for a while, but again, there was always something more important to do. The interior was painted a cream, but the original reddish stain on the cabinet had bled through, so it had a pink tinge in a few places.  Again, something I wanted to fix, but not enough to

Read More
All Things Home

hemp sheet slipcovers

One project that’s been on my to-do list for a couple of years was making new slipcovers for the wing chairs in the family room.  When things linger on a list that long, it’s because I don’t really want to do them.  I know how to make slipcovers and I love the results, but I make them out of thriftiness, not out of a zest for making slipcovers.  I usually do my slipcovering and upholstery in spurts, but between Lucketts and getting my house ready for this shoot, I’ve been on a sewing/stapling marathon.  I think I’ve done 20 chairs in the last 2 months.  Whew! These wing chairs might be in an important shot, so I really wanted them to look their best.  The drop cloth slipcovers have held up well for about 8 years, but they are examples of my “early work”and they were starting to look a little slouchy

Read More
All Things Home

bolster pillow cover

I said in my last post that I was going to be sewing up a storm and I definitely did.  I finished four accent pillows and two pillow cases and glued the welting on the second bergere chair.  A photo shoot is happening in my house next week and I’m using it as an excuse to get things finished that have been on my to-do list for a long time.  I’m going to start making new slipcovers for the wing chairs in the family room tomorrow.  I slipped those about eight years ago, in drop cloths.  They’ve held up really well, but they are starting to show the wear. So, one of the pillow covers I made today was for the bolster on the living room sofa.  It’s been hanging out naked for the past few months and it was time to get it appropriately dressed!    I’m working at such a

Read More
All Things Home

latest HGTV.com tutorials…

I’ve been cramming a lot of work into just a few weeks and I’ve only shared a part of it here on the blog.  It’s just the way deadlines, events, trips and things in my schedule stacked up, but I have one more big thing to get through and then my schedule opens up a bit.  Of course, I’m already planning to schedule more workshops and there are a few new projects I’d like to get off the ground, but I feel like I can go at my own pace.  How busy I am will be self-imposed! So, today I thought I would share a preview of some of the other things I’ve been working on as I was getting ready for Lucketts.  It was Christmas in the studio as Kriste and I worked on projects for HGTV.com‘s Christmas in July series… And Jeff and I wrote a tutorial on how to make

Read More
All Things Home

reupholstery tutorial | French wing chair | part 1

It’s time for another upholstery series!  If you missed my last one, I showed how to upholster a wood-framed, French-style chair.  You can find it HERE.  If you’re scared of upholstery, you’re going to like the way I upholster and teach.  I’m a DIY, self-taught upholsterer, not a “professional.”  I started upholstering dining chair seat cushions and benches with a manual stapler and then graduated to simple slipcovers, such as they were, and finally dove into upholstering an armchair about five years ago. I took the chair apart and then had a little freakout moment.  What in the world have I done to this beautiful chair?!  I had read upholstery books, but I really wasn’t sure if I would be able to get it back together.  I worked through it step by step, just like putting together a puzzle.  It wasn’t perfect, but it actually looked okay!  That gave me the confidence to

Read More
All Things Home

living room pillows | welting vs. gimp

In case you missed it, Kriste and I are heading to Wisconsin tomorrow!  We’re going to be in Milwaukee and Sun Prairie, on Friday and Saturday respectively, to teach workshops, demos and just hang out with blog readers, milk paint lovers and friends-we’ve-yet-to-meet.  You can find all of the details of our trip HERE. Between the long weekend and our trip, though, we’ve been trying to squeeze in some productivity.  I have a big photo shoot in my house coming up, which is a good excuse to get some finishing touches done.  Those are the things that linger on my to-do list and end up getting bumped when more exiting or pressing projects come around. This week, we’ve been finishing up the upholstered chairs in my living and dining rooms and making pillows.  Most of them are still in process, but we did get the living room pillows, for the bergere

Read More

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

next art sale

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Now Available for Preorder

Move Slow & Make Things

A book about creativity, intention, and making things with care. Sign up to receive updates, preorder details, and exclusive bonus content.

From the Studio

Artful pieces for your home and everyday life.

From original paintings and art prints to Pup Club releases and curated goods, each piece is created or chosen to bring warmth, creativity, and character into your home.

From the Studio and Home

Shop the Feed

A handpicked collection of items styled and shared throughout posts, projects, and social feeds. Every product is thoughtfully chosen to reflect a timeless, collected aesthetic.

Recent Video

Spring Posts

Explore the Shop

Explore the Blog

Categories
error: Content is protected.

Pin It on Pinterest